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Emergent BioSolutions’ Fuad El-Hibri named Tech Council of Maryland’s executive of year

Published on April 30, 2012 by Paul Tinder

TweetFuad El-Hibri, the executive chairman of Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., has been named the Executive of the Year by the Tech Council of Maryland, the state’s largest association for life science and technology. El-Hibri was presented with the award at … Read More

Senate received 383 cases of suspicious mail in 2011

Published on April 19, 2012 by Bryan Cohen

TweetMore than 10 years since the first anthrax mail attack against the media and the U.S. Senate, there were 383 incidents in which suspicious and potentially dangerous mail were sent to the Senate in 2011. Terrance Gainer, the Senate Sergeant … Read More

Companies team to market explosive ordnance disposal solution

Published on April 5, 2012 by Paul Tinder

TweetTwo U.S. firms are working together to provide decision-making products and fast analysis for first-responder teams and explosive ordnance disposal. A-T Solutions, Inc., an anti- and counter-terrorism professional solutions firm, and Alluviam, LLC, a hazmat software and systems developer, signed … Read More

Basson seeks investigation into fake Twitter account

Published on April 2, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetWouter Basson has requested that his legal team open an investigation into a fake Twitter account carrying his name. According to the Rapport, Basson, the former head of South Africa’s apartheid goevernment’s chemical and biological warfare program, sees the account … Read More

Three farm workers die of anthrax in Namibia

Published on March 28, 2012 by Paul Tinder

TweetThree farm workers from Farm Kroonster 448 in Namibia’s Omaheke Region died from an anthrax-related illness in the Gobabis State Hospital last week. It is believed that five workers from the farm contracted anthrax after eating meat of a cow … Read More

U.S. struggling to compete in biotechnology funding

Published on March 21, 2012 by Brett Aho

TweetAt a congressional hearing over the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget for the NIH, concerns were raised about America’s ability to compete with other countries in the biotechnology arena. “We are facing unprecedented competition from around the globe to be … Read More

NIH research funding a concern for biomedical industry

Published on March 20, 2012 by Brett Aho

TweetRepresentatives from the biomedical and biotechnology industries testified before the House Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations on Tuesday in response to the recently proposed NIH budget for fiscal year 2013. One of the key concerns was the stagnation of funding. Dr. … Read More

Virgin Islands simulates anthrax attack response

Published on March 19, 2012 by Bryan Cohen

TweetA team of police in the Virgin Islands ran a counterterrorism drill on Friday to pursue four fake suspects and contain fake anthrax that they released at the former J. Antonio Jarvis school building. The team of officers took part … Read More

California county simulates terrorist attack

Published on March 16, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetVolunteers in San Mateo County, California, recently helped local first responders conduct an emergency drill that tested the county’s ability to distribute medication in the event of a disaster or terrorist attack. Approximately 65 volunteers split into several groups to … Read More

Emergent BioSolutions’s Shofe says that bioterrorism remains a threat

Published on March 1, 2012 by Bryan Cohen

TweetAllen Shofe, the senior vice president of corporate affairs at Emergent Biosolutions, Inc., made a presentation on Thursday entitled “Bio-Terrorism – The US Experience” at the CBRNE Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore. Shofe discussed the myths of bioterrorism, the chain … Read More

Counter-terrorism labs used to identify synthetic drugs

Published on February 3, 2012 by Paul Tinder

TweetCounter-terorrism labs meant to fight bioterrorism like the Arkansas Department of Health have instead started to help police identify a synthetic drug that produces a marijuana-like high and has sent hundreds to the hospital. The lab typically creates tests, such … Read More

Inquiry into Basson set to resume this week

Published on January 26, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetAn inquiry into to the conduct of Dr. Wouter Basson, the head of South Africa’s apartheid-era biological weapons program, is set to resume this week in Pretoria, South Africa. Basson, a cardiologist by training, is seeking to be discharged of … Read More

Kazatchkine steps down as Global Fund head

Published on January 25, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetThe head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced an abrupt resignation on Tuesday as part of a major shakeup in the fund’s top management due to alleged corruption and misspending. Michel Kazatchkine, a French clinical … Read More

DTRA issues request for handheld biothreat detector

Published on January 23, 2012 by Paul Tinder

TweetThe U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency issued a request on Wednesday for information on the development of a handheld device that could be used by front-line soldiers to identify and characterize biothreats and disease agents. The information request, released by … Read More

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists looks to 2012 biosecurity changes

Published on January 23, 2012 by Bryan Cohen

TweetIn a special issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, experts reflected on 2011 and looked ahead to 2012 for the areas of nuclear weapons, biosecurity, nuclear energy and climate change. Gerald Epstein, the director of the Center for … Read More

The Center for Biosecurity launces first responder iPhone app

Published on January 20, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetThe Center for Biosecurity recently announced the launch of its Clinicians’ Biosecurity Resource app for the iPhone. The CBR was designed to give physicians the critical information needed to recognize the signs and symptoms of illnesses caused by six potential … Read More

WHO enters weaponized H5N1 fight

Published on January 18, 2012 by Jeffrey Bigongiari

TweetThe World Health Organization recently announced its intention to hold an international forum to discuss whether scientific research should be published if some nations fear doing so could help terrorists acquire biological weapons. The meeting is considered to be in … Read More

Kansas holds bioattack drill

Published on January 11, 2012 by Ted Purlain

TweetJohnson County, Kansas, recently held a drill designed to test its ability to dispense medical countermeasures in the event of biological emergency. The public health emergency preparedness plan is in place to organize the handing out of medicines if there … Read More